And charles f



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. Z. OOLLINGS- & O. F. PIKE,

METHOD OF PRESERVING WOOD.

No. 317,730. Patented May 12, 1885.

Wvkim was;

{I I- l 0 I 'l 11 mm 6 cal/1&7 M WW f w I v a W Ma N PcTijis. plmautho n hnn wmington, 0.0.

-(No Model.) 3Sheets--Sheet 2.

E. Z. COLLINGS 82; G. P. PIKE.

METHOD OF PRESERVING WOOD. No. 317,730. Patented May 12, 1885.

, s fi 12 4 Wm m N PETERS. FholWLilhngrapMr, Walhingloru B-Q (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet; 3. E; Z. COLLINGS & G. F. PIKE.

v METHOD OF PRESERVING WOOD.

No. 317,730. Patented May 12, 1886.

n. PETERS, n-wuma n ner, warn-gm n c UNITED ST TES PATENT @rricn.

EDWARD Z. COLLINGS, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, AND CHARLES I. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF PRESERVING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,730, dated May 12, 1885.

Application filed December 11, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD Z. COLLINGS, of the city and county of Camden, in the State of New Jersey, and CHARLES F. PIKE, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Preserving Wood, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is an elevation, partly sectional, of a typical form of apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the chamber or receptacle and appliances for effecting the treatment of the wood. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same and elevation of the coal-tar tank and pipe-connection 5 and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are sectional views illustrating modifications of details or appliances for the preserving chamber or receptacle.

Our invention has relation to treating wood to preserve it from decay and from the ravages of insects, being more especially adapted for railroad sleepers or ties, whereby their life or extent of time for which they are available for use is prolonged, and has particular reference to those modes of treatment wherein the wood is first steamed to dissolve its resinous ingredients and then subjected to the action of vapors of coal-tar or other antiseptic material.

Our invention has for its object, first, to provide a simple and inexpensive and more effective method of opening the pores of the wood and filling them with the vapors of the preservative or antiseptic material; second, to so vaporize the latter that all danger of its explosion is avoided 3 and our invention accordingly consists, first, of melting or dissolving the resinous ingredients of the wood by steaming it, then drying the wood or vaporizing such melted resinous ingredients by radiated heat, and then subjecting the wood to the action of the vapors of coal-tar.

In the drawings, A represents a steamboiler having a pipe, at, with valve to and branches 1) b and 11 respectively, provided with cocks c c and 0 The branch b leads into a chamber or receptacle, D, which is made steam or air tight, having a closed or sealed door, (I, a

cocks a and c.

(No model.)

indicated in Fig. 4:. One end of radiator E connects with branch b, and has on its opposite end a cock, 0.

Instead of using a coil of pipe for radiator E, it may be formed as shown in Fig. 5.

The bottom of chamber D is provided with a series of pockets, F F, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2; or one large receptacle may be substituted for the several pockets, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Said pockets have a valvedpipe connection, f, with a reservoir, G, which contains the supply of coal-tar for said pockets. In the latter are located coiled pipe or radiators H, connected by pipe 71-, and into which leads the branch W, as illustrated. At the top of chamber D is an opening, i, from which proceeds a pipe, I, leading into and down to near the bottom of tank K, Fig. 1, so as to have its outlet sealed by the-water flowing into said tank from the pipe. k is an overflow or outlet pipe for tank K. Such construction of the latter provides a trap or hydraulic safety-valve for chamber D. g

The operation is as follows: The wood or sleepers 01 being passed into chamber D, it is sealed, or its door d made airtight. Steam is then admitted to said chamber by opening the Said steam acts directly upon the wood to melt or dissolve its resinous ingredients and saturate it with moisture. Any pressure in chamber D is relieved by the escape of steam through the trap in tank K. When the resinous ingredients are thoroughly softened or dissolved, the cock 0 is closed and the cock 0' opened, shutting 0d the steam to chamber D and admitting it to the radiator E. The heat therefrom gradually vaporizes said dissolved resinous ingredients, evaporates the moisture or condensed steam in chamber D and in the wood until it is thoroughly dried or seasoned, its pores being well opened and their walls free from moisture or dissolved resinous matter. The vaporized resinous matter of the wood, and the evaporated moisture pass from chamber D through pipe I to tank K, wherein they are condensed and collected, and may from time to time be drawn off or be allowed to overflow from pipe 7c.

The advantages of the use of the radiated heat from coil E are that the employment of superheated steam or hot gases from furnaces heretofore used, and the consequent danger of igniting the wood while it is being seasoned are avoided, and that the process of drying or seasoning the wood is more slowly effected; consequently its quality is not deteriorated and its pores are well opened and their walls thoroughly dried or brought to the best condition possible to receive or be acted upon by the vapors of the antiseptic material.

When the drying process is completed, the cockc is closed, the pockets F are supplied with coal-tar by opening the cooks in pipes f, and the cock 0 is opened to admit steam to the radiator H. The heat from the latter gradually vaporizes the surrounding coal-tar in pockets F, which ascends and enters the pores of the wood 01 The walls of the pores, being thoroughly dry, they rapidly, and to an increased extent, absorb the fumes of coal-tar until the sleepers are fully impregnated or saturated with the preservative material, whereupon they are moved from chamber D, replaced by a fresh charge, and the operation renewed.

If desired, the pockets F may be provided with cocksf for drawing off the surplus tar or waste from chamber D, and the water of condensation in radiators E and H is blown off through cocks e h, respectively.

The surplus vapors of coal-tar, escaping from chamber D through pipe I, pass into and are condensed in tank K, and as said preservative material is vaporized by radiated heat, the boiler A and its furnace may be situated at any desirable distance away from chamber D to avoid danger of explosion by the commingling or contact of such vapors with the boilerfires or other direct sources of heat.

If desired, the pockets F and their radiators H may be constructed as shown in Fig. 6, and instead of having separate cooks for the branches 1), b, and IF, they may be so arranged that a three-way cock may be substituted.

We make no claim in this application to the apparatus, as that forms the subject-matter of application No. 107,193, filed September 24, 1883.

What we claim is The method herein described of treating wood to preserve it from decay,which consists in, first, steaming the wood in a closed chamher; second, drying said wood and chamber by radiated heat, and, third, impregnating said wood with a preservative material admitted bodily in said chamber without admitting air to the latter, and afterward vaporized by radiated heat, substantially as set forth. g

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD Z. OOLLINGS. CHARLES F. PIKE.

Witnesses:

S. J. VAN STAVOREN, OHAs. F. VAN HORN. 

